Comparison

Astrolabe Clock vs Pocket PlanetARium

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Astrolabe Clock

This app offers a modern interpretation of an ancient astronomical instrument, providing a real-time view of the sky. It displays the time of day, day of the year, and the positions of celestial bodies like the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars. Users can also track sunrise/sunset times, moon phases, and celestial transits.

Highlights
  • Real-time sky view
  • Time of day and day of year display
  • Sun, Moon, planet, and star locations
  • Sunrise and sunset times
  • Moon phase tracking
  • Celestial transit times
  • Eclipse occurrence indicator
Features
Read full description

Astrolabe Clock is an astronomical clock inspired by the astrolabe, an ancient astronomical instrument used to tell time and to predict the location of the Sun, stars and planets. This modern interpretation gives a view of the sky showing at a glance the time of day, day of year, and the location in the sky of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars. Astrolabe Clock also gives the time of sunrise and sunset, the phase of the Moon, transit times for the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, and can be used to show the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses.

About

Pocket PlanetARium

Explore the cosmos in augmented reality, bringing the universe to life in your surroundings. Walk around and zoom in on planets, experiencing the solar system in 3D with interactive controls and fascinating facts.

Highlights
  • Immersive AR experience
  • Interactive controls
  • Fascinating space facts
  • 3D solar system exploration
  • Adjustable planet scale
Features
Read full description

Pocket PlanetARium — A Truly Immersive Experience. Explore the Cosmos in AR and Bring the Universe to Life! Step inside the cosmos with Pocket PlanetARium, the ultimate Augmented Reality planetarium! Walk around, zoom in, and discover the planets like never before — from tiny Mercury to massive Jupiter. Experience the solar system in 3D, wherever you are. Features: • Immersive AR Experience – See planets appear in your space at a scale from 10 feet to 1 mile in diameter. • Interactive Controls – Toggle sounds, show planet names, pause animations, and reset your position with simple gestures. • Fascinating Facts – Did you know Jupiter can fit 1,300 Earths inside it? Or that a year on Pluto lasts 248 Earth years? • Walk Among the Giants – Approach Neptune and observe its Great Dark Spot, the site of the solar system’s strongest sustained winds. Perfect for students, space enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the universe, Pocket PlanetARium turns your surroundings into a stellar playground. Download now and bring the cosmos to life!

Screenshots

Astrolabe Clock4 screens
Pocket PlanetARium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Astrolabe Clock at none against Pocket PlanetARium's 1. Astrolabe Clock also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pocket PlanetARium sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Astrolabe Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Astrolabe Clock against 4.6 for Pocket PlanetARium. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 49 and 64 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Astrolabe Clock's written reviews are positive against 94% of Pocket PlanetARium's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Astrolabe Clock ships an update every 4 weeks, Pocket PlanetARium monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Astrolabe Clock versus Pocket PlanetARium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstrolabe ClockPocket PlanetARium
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (49 ratings) — better4.6 (64 ratings)
Positive reviews90.9% of reviews93.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4964 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael Smith5Play Apps, LLC

Customer experience

Astrolabe Clock

All ratings45 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral2.2%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews55 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.5%

Pocket PlanetARium

All ratings64 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%

Bugs and requests

Astrolabe Clock

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Widget is not working
  • Date reset when entering settings
  • Date and time settings revert back to December 31, 1969 at 18:00

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add alarms
  • Ability for postings
  • Set an alarm for upcoming sidereal time
  • Full moon alerts
  • Add the rise and set times for any object selected
Show 4 more
  • Display of Local Sidereal Time
  • Show age of moon in days
  • Add BC dates
  • Add twilight lines

Pocket PlanetARium

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Astrolabe Clock

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Pocket PlanetARium

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is Astrolabe Clock free?
Astrolabe Clock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pocket PlanetARium free?
Pocket PlanetARium is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Astrolabe Clock or Pocket PlanetARium?
Astrolabe Clock is rated higher. Astrolabe Clock averages 4.7 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Pocket PlanetARium averages 4.6 from 64 ratings.
Do Astrolabe Clock or Pocket PlanetARium have ads?
Pocket PlanetARium shows ads; Astrolabe Clock does not.
Which is updated more often, Astrolabe Clock or Pocket PlanetARium?
Astrolabe Clock ships an update every 4 weeks, and Pocket PlanetARium monthly. Most recently, Astrolabe Clock was updated on October 21, 2026 and Pocket PlanetARium on October 24, 2026.

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